Pa. prisons chief says announcement is coming

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania's Department of Corrections isn't saying whether an announcement by the secretary will involve the opening of a new state prison or the closing of older prisons.

A department spokeswoman said she couldn't comment on the planned Wednesday announcement by Secretary John Wetzel.

Benner state prison in Centre County was completed about a year ago at a cost of nearly $200 million, but it stands empty. Pennsylvania also houses some inmates in buildings that are a century old, or more.

The state counts more than 51,000 inmates, including about 2,400 in county jails or community correctional centers. The state says it has beds for more than 48,000, but Roy Pinto of the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association says the system was built to handle well below 40,000.